Camouflage is well known to the animal and human kingdoms. Many species of animals are naturally camouflaged to blend into their surroundings as a defense against predators. Camouflage has been used for centuries to conceal the user from humans, animals and the like.
Today, as in the past, camouflage finds its greatest uses in military and hunting applications. For example, in hunting, hunters typically wear clothes with one or more camouflage patterns to blend in with the surroundings, so as not to be visible by the animals being hunted. Typical camouflage patterns for hunting employ splotches of brown, black and green in different shades with splotches of whites, grays and lighter greens throughout the pattern. Other camouflage patterns are designed to mimic those of a forest, woods or trees. For example, camouflage patterns mimicking natural foliage are sold under the names Real Tree® and Mossy Oak®. As a result of this camouflage, game animals, typically deer, see the camouflaged hunter as a three dimensional object that is part of the forest or woods, rather than as another animal or potential threat.
For example, FIG. 1 shows a conventional hunting camouflage garment. This garment is a shirt 10 printed with a camouflage pattern.
As prime hunting times are at dusk, when day is turning to night, and at dawn, when night is turning to day, hunter safety is critical in darkness. While the camouflage is effective during periods of light, it presents a hazard during low light conditions, when hunters may be moving, but are not hunting.
Although hunters wear blaze orange clothing to be visible to other hunters, motorists, or other passers by, especially during hours of darkness, the blaze orange clothing is detectable by animals. This diminishes the value of the camouflage that must be covered in the blaze orange, to increase safety. Also, even if the hunter removes the blaze orange articles of clothing, he still must carry it, creating an unnecessary burden.